History

Nonsuch was named after the Palace that once stood in the park in the sixteenth century. Henry VIII started building it in order to create the finest palace in the world – None Such that could be found anywhere. He built it on the village of Cuddington.

Building a school in the early 20th Century in a Park with royal connections caused controversy. Warren Farm stood on some of the land. In 1935 there was an outcry about Surrey County Council’s proposal to build a school and questions about the scheme were raised in Parliament. It was thought the construction of the school would destroy the view of the trees where the Palace once stood.

Eventually it was given the go-ahead and on 30 December 1936 the first turf was cut at an official ceremony. Nonsuch was to be called ‘Nonsuch County School for Girls’. When full it was going to provide a school for 490 girls. There are now 1220.

Entry to the School

As today, there was an entrance examination to get into the school. The first exam took place on 21st December 1937 and successful girls paid school fees of 4 pounds and 4 shillings. This was to cover stationery, textbooks and apparatus. The parents had to sign an agreement to keep their children at the school until the end of the school year in which they were 16.

Nonsuch opened its doors to pupils on 3rd May 1938. The official opening ceremony took place on 20th June 1938. It was reported in The Times newspaper.

Miss Marion Dickie was the first Headmistress. Miss Woods, seated next to Miss Dickie in the quad in 1947, was the Deputy Head. Miss Woods is wearing a cardigan.